Hamilton City Council’s prestigious Civic Award to Jamie Toko last month, was a well-deserved honour for a person for whom ‘giving to others’ is one of several virtues.
“I have always been a community person, supporting families and tamariki that require assistance. I believe in social justice and helping others achieve their aspirations. Giving to others is one of my most humble virtues,” Jamie Toko told NewsViews yesterday.
She was awarded the Civic Award on 12 December by Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate for recognition of her service to the community that she has been serving for over two decades now. There were five other recipients of the 2022 Civic Award.
A people person, Jamie Toko is involved in many “not-for-profit” governance boards and charitable organisations in various capacities. She chairs the Board of the Western Community Association and has been an active member of their Board for more than 22 years.
After winning the YWCA Maori Womens Community Award, she was invited to join the YWCA Trust Board where she spent four years as a Board member and a year as President of the Board.
A Tainui descendant and tribal member, she continues to “follow in the footsteps of our Kingitanga, and to aspire to their virtues of manaakitanga, whakawhanaungatanga, and tangihanga”.
“I have always been a community person, supporting families and tamariki that require assistance, hence my love for the Maori Womens Welfare League. I support all community and ethnic groups, rangatahi and tamariki to aspire to the best of their ability,” Jamie Toto says.
She is a third term President of the Tainui Maori Womens Welfare League, leading a governance Board of 7 Maori Women, 26 branches with almost 340 members.
Jamie, a believer in strong community infrastructure, was also appointed on to the Kirikiriroa COGS Funding Committee to which she now chairs for the duration of this new term.
She has also been serving as a Justice of the Peace since 2009.
Until 2014, Jamie was actively involved in union activities to provide support to the grassroot workers.
She is currently an employment consultant and co-owner of a funeral business in Ngāruawāhia that she started over a year back.
“I have been doing employment consultant work since l retired from the union in 2014,” she adds. “But will always be a unionist.”
Jamie, a valued member of the community, grew up in Melville, and has lived in Nawton, Hamilton West for over 30 years.
She lives a modest life with her family and 3 favourite cats with her mokopuna coming and going most days.
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Congratulations, Jamie Toko, for your outstanding achievements in our local communities here in Kirikiriroa.
A certain wayward Prince from the coloniser country could learn a thing or two about humility from your generous public service performance. ‘Spare’ him a thought, all of us.
Once again, all the best to our community leaders here in Kirikiriroa as we see in the New Year.